


Everybody Needs Someone Around

by genuinelylarry



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Advice, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Fluff, Kind Harry Styles, M/M, Sad Louis, tpwk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-24 04:04:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19165453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/genuinelylarry/pseuds/genuinelylarry
Summary: Louis is sad and Harry helps him through it.





	Everybody Needs Someone Around

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! :)
> 
> This fic is written for the on-going 1000 Feelings For Which There Are No Names challenge. 
> 
> Prompt: 769. The longing to be asked for advice.
> 
> //this is just a work of fiction. do not repost/translate.//
> 
> Hop you enjoy!

Harry smiles to himself. The sun shining on his face as he turns the closed sign to open on the door of his café. His favorite place in the whole world. 

Every new day was a new chance for him to change, to be better, to help others and treat them with kindness and encourage others to do the same. These were his basic morals which he had also put up around his little place. He felt that if he couldn’t appeal to a massive crowd, at least he could start right there, in his small happy place.  
He starts his days with a thing that he would be grateful about: Today I want to be grateful about being alive and having this place. With this in mind he knows he can set small goals for himself in a way that doesn’t make him feel useless even if he doesn’t get anything done that day.

As the first customer walks in, he goes around the counter to greet them with a warm smile on his face and calmness in his mind. Realizing it’s their regular customer, Lisa, his smile widens even further. “Good morning, love! How are this morning?”

“I’m good, harry! And anyway seeing you always puts me into a better mood instantly.” She replies and harry beams at that, dimples popping.

“So what can get a lovely lady on this lovely day?” Lisa giggles at Harry’s antics but endeared.

“My regular,” she shrugs and smiles. Harry curtseys with a soft ‘coming right up!’

After that his day passes by quickly just like every other day and he’s happy it has been all smiles and laughter that day. As he is closing up for the lunch time - since his café is not for having lunch and it’s usually the time where he gets to relax and get energized for the evenings – he spots someone sitting at the corner of the shop. The person seems to be hiding their face in their arms as if they’re crying. Harry looks away, wondering if he’s intruding on a private moment. He also wishes from the deepest part of his heart that everything is all right for him.

He walks to the backroom to find Niall. “Why the long face, Haz?” 

“There’s a person crying in the back of the shop. I know we have to close for lunch but I haven’t got the heart to ask him to leave.”

Niall frowns, pondering on the situation. “How about we let him be for now. Unless you’re going out for lunch –I’m not – then there’s no problem at all. I think we should let the poor soul be.” 

“Yeah,” harry whispers nodding his head solemnly. “You’re right. I am staying for lunch. Now, where are those burritos I was promised?”

 

Harry hesitantly shakes the shoulder and pats on the back. The man looks up. He has the most beautiful set of blue eyes he’s ever seen which are rimmed red and puffy from crying.

Harry feels his heart ache. The man had been sitting in the café the whole day and he probably hadn’t even noticed anything.

He offers a small, kind smile. The man wipes his nose on a bunch of tissues in his hand and sniffs. He looks out the window and whispers a soft ‘it’s night-time’ then turns to harry “I’m sorry, I’ll just leave now. I won’t be a bother.”

As he is about to get up, harry gently and tentatively places a hand on his shoulder, “no. you don’t seem good. How about I get you some tea first?”

“No, really, I’m good. I don’t have any money on me either right now. So I couldn’t pay you and I don’t want to have credit. I’m fine.” The man rambles.

“You really aren’t. Just wait, please. And don’t worry about the money, this one’s on the house,” the man gives harry a small smile which makes him feel a bit relieved. “What tea can i get you?”  
“A Yorkshire tea, please,” Louis says.

He hurries and makes some classic Yorkshire tea, puts the milk, sugar and the teacup on a firm wooden tray and carries it back with a smile. It fades away when he sees the man with more tears on his high cheekbones and it absolutely destroys him.

“Do you want to talk about it? Or do you want to be distracted from it?” he had learned this from his mother and he knew it was the best tactic to tackle any kind of hurt.  
The young man shakes his head and sniffs again but this time eyeing the tea longingly. Harry slowly pushes it towards him at which the blue eyes look up at him and he nods encouragingly.

“Would you like to tell me your name?” harry asks gingerly. Shaky hands and sweater paws lift up the cup carefully and he slowly takes a sip.

“Louis,” comes a soft sound barely audible; more like a whoosh of air. Harry takes it; something is better than nothing is.

“Alright, Louis. I’ll be right back. Just let me close the shop and then we can talk if you feel better by then.”

He leaves Louis worryingly; hoping he doesn’t cry even more while he’s away in the back kitchen. It really breaks his heart to see him cry. He longs to be able to advice, to be able to help Louis in any way possible. He works distractedly, putting away the washed utensils again into the dishwasher, attempting to empty an already empty trashcan. He gives up trying to tidy up ten minutes later which he also thinks is almost enough time for giving Louis a little space.

He returns to find Louis resting his head sideways on his crossed arms on the table and observing the café. He lifts his head and attempts a tiny smile at harry. Harry’s heart lighten a little.

“Do you want to talk about this? I would love to help you out in any way I can,” he says putting as much sincerity as he can into his words. 

Louis shrugs before he replies, “I lost my job and was kicked out of the apartment because I wasn’t able to pay the rent on time. It’s nothing big, I just get upset easily, it was dumb – “

“Louis,” he cuts-off Louis and hesitantly place his hand on Louis’. “It isn’t dumb and it is a huge thing. You lost both your job and home in a day. Do you have anyone you can call? Your friends? Family? Personally I believe you should never be afraid of telling them any problems you have.”

“I am ashamed of myself. I don’t want to sound like a sore loser in front of my mum or friends,” he laughs deprecatingly.

“The fact that you’re here means you are still fighting. You haven’t lost anything. Neither are you a loser. Your family and friends will support you through thick and thin, that’s what family does.”

Louis smiles brightly at that. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right about that. I think I just felt too hopeless about the whole situation and after months of pressure I broke down. Nothing made sense at that moment.” He pauses considering his thoughts and feelings. “And I’m very much glad I found this café of all the places.”

“I’ll leave you to call your family,” he grins. 

As he puts away the things with a smile on his face he thinks of all the things he is grateful to have. He thinks being able to provide some sort of comfort through his words was the best thing and he is so grateful.

 

A few days later –after much anxiety on Harry’s part from wondering whether or not Louis would return – Louis steps into his café with a beautiful, crinkly smile on his face. He walks right up to harry and hands him a small bouquet of flowers and Harry’s falters. He is absolutely overwhelmed at the gesture.

“What are these for?”

“It’s for helping me that day,” Louis says setting the flowers on the counter separating the two. “I don’t know what I could have done that day. Thank you!”

Harry turns soft. He feels so much happiness. It really is something to be able to help people. To see someone smiling again after going through a hard time.

“You’re welcome!” he replies as he goes to make Louis his tea. “The tea is on the house today.”

“Instead of this, how about we go out for lunch and we can have tea there.”

Harry cannot believe his ears. Louis is standing there looking so beautiful and smug that harry just cannot deny. Yes, that is why.

“I – yeah, okay. As soon as we close for lunch.”

Harry is grateful for everything in his life right now.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> Leave kudos/comment if you enjoyed :)  
> tumblr: palpitating-procrastination (Come say hi!)


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